What’s your opinion on teens getting involved in social networking and online chat rooms? I’ve read some of the teen conversations on the sites my daughter wants to visit, and they seem relatively harmless. But I’m still afraid of losing control over my child’s interactions with her peers. Should I be concerned?
Parenting
How can we steer our adolescent son away from media that portray gruesome violence and help him make better entertainment choices? He’s fascinated with horror stories – both books and films. We’re concerned that he’s filling his mind with disturbing ideas and images, but he says it’s all just harmless fun. What do you think?
Is there any way we can limit or control the kind of music our teenager listens to? I could really use some help setting fair and reasonable standards in this area. I’m disturbed by some of the “artists” he likes, the image they project, and the lyrics of the songs they sing. What should I …
How can I stop my child from swearing and using “dirty words?” It’s a bad habit he’s developed, and I’ve confronted him about this several times. But the problem only seems to be getting worse. I’m frustrated. Do you have any advice for me?
How can we help our child overcome his terror of the school bus? The school is too far away for him to walk, and my wife and I both work, so it isn’t feasible to drive him back and forth every day. What can we do?
Will my sarcastic style of humor hurt my children? I’ve always tended to express myself in a wry, ironic way. It’s all a joke, and I don’t mean any harm by it. But now my spouse is telling me that this is going to be damaging to our kids, especially as they move into the …
Do you have any tips for parents who want to inspire their children to maintain a healthy diet? Our two children are still very small, but we want to start training them early to develop good eating habits.
How can we get the most out of our family dinner times? Our family recently committed to sharing mealtimes together at least three times a week. It was an adjustment in the beginning. There were a lot of rough spots, but I’m pleased to say that we’re already seeing some positive results. At this point …
Is there anything special we need to know about raising twins? We just became the proud parents of two precious children, and we’d like to get our family off on the right foot. Any advice or suggestions?
How do we stop our two daughters, ages thirteen and seven, from fighting and bickering all the time? I’m concerned that the effects of all this conflict may be potentially harmful. We’re a Christian family, so we’ve talked many times about what it means to be kind, loving, and forgiving. After one of these discussions …
How do I instill an attitude of gratitude in my young daughter? I’m concerned about her selfish outlook on life. She recently had a birthday, and as soon as she was finished unwrapping her gifts she started looking around for more! What can I do to correct this?
Do you have any advice for a woman who is about to leave a high-profile career in order to devote all her time to parenting and homemaking? My wife is on the verge of taking this momentous step. How can we make it a smooth transition? We’ve reached this decision together after hours and hours …
What exactly is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and what are its causes? Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of losing my baby to this mysterious killer?
What should I give my baby when he’s ready to start eating solid food? How can I know when he’s reached that stage of development?
Can you provide me with some general principles and guidelines for responding to behavioral problems in a school-age child? What are some effective methods for disciplining kids at this stage of development?
How should we respond to our teenage daughter who doesn’t want to be part of our family after becoming pregnant?
As a divorced woman, what can I do about my young child’s resistance to my efforts to develop relationships with men and to have a social life outside the home? My son simply doesn’t like to “share” me with anyone else. How can I best explain to him my reasons for desiring adult male companionship? …
As a single mom with three young children, is it okay for me to want another person around to help carry the load? I used to feel pretty self-sufficient, but the burden of doing it all by myself is getting heavier. I work full time, take online college courses, and I’m active in church. Do …
Where can we turn for help with the challenge of confronting our adolescent son’s problem with substance abuse? It might even be fair to say his abuse has escalated into a full-blown addiction. We’re devastated and don’t know what to do. Any suggestions?
My husband has never physically harmed me or the kids, but he constantly subjects our children to mean-spirited put-downs. For example, he tells them that they’re stupid and lazy. He demeans my son’s athletic abilities. He tells my daughter that she’s ugly and needs to lose weight. The children try to ignore him and put …